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lights are dimming, starting problem

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Old Dec 9, 2006 | 05:38 AM
  #1  
WielkiWaac's Avatar
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lights are dimming, starting problem

yesturday on my way home i noticed that all light in my car went dimmer when car is iddleing when i stop. (car almost died 2 times when i was stopping - i had fog lights on, headlight on, rear defroster and heating on)
after while everything came back to normal.
Today morning when i was going to work i couldnt start my car. completly nothing, no lights, no crancking like there was no battery.
i checked battery terminals and they were ok. trie3d to crack again and still nothing. so i waited 2 minutes or so and car started like new.

WTF happen to it??
i also noticed that security lamp was on even engine was running.
Old Dec 9, 2006 | 05:42 AM
  #2  
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Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Central NJ
I had a similar problem as you described in the first sentence. It was a bad alternator. When I started the car the next time it cranked slow (understandable bad alt=big drain on the batery). It then went away for a few months and eventually the alt. died.
Old Dec 9, 2006 | 06:14 PM
  #3  
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What happens when you jump start the car? Does it just die on the road?
Old Dec 9, 2006 | 06:18 PM
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Check your battery, it could be a dead cell. Take an ohmeter and take the voltage when the car is just sitting there not on, should be around 12, then have someone start the car, and if it drops drastcically (I did it on a friend's parents van and it dropped to around 9) that means you have a dead cell in the battery. From the sounds of it this is what's happening, the battery has power in it but when you start drawing more energy from it that dead cell is making it drop its amount of power causing your problems. Just an idea, hope it helps!
Old Dec 9, 2006 | 06:47 PM
  #5  
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Sounds like the alty is on its way out. Check the voltage on the battery first.
Old Dec 9, 2006 | 06:47 PM
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alternator. i had same problem.
Old Dec 11, 2006 | 10:48 AM
  #7  
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my issue was a battery. the lights still dim but not as much so i think the alternator is going out but i havent the slightest clue because i havent checked with the meter and midas are a buncha numb nutts!
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